South Africa’s lights have now stayed on for 467 consecutive days – and the numbers behind that streak show a power system that is not just surviving, but genuinely getting stronger.
Briefing the media on Friday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Cabinet had welcomed continued improvements in Eskom’s generation performance, with the utility exceeding a key milestone in its load reduction eradication programme, SAnews reported.
Seven provinces ahead of target
Eskom has achieved load reduction status in seven provinces ahead of its October 2026 target – meaning communities that once endured scheduled power cuts to protect overloaded local networks are being returned to normal supply.
“Approximately 1.2 million customers have been restored to normal supply conditions, reducing the share of affected customers to 6.8% of Eskom’s customer base,” Ntshavheni said.
The headline achievement remains the loadshedding-free streak. “South Africa has now recorded 467 consecutive days without loadshedding since 16 May 2025, providing reliable electricity to households and businesses and supporting broader economic development,” the Minister said.
From diesel bills to real reliability
Perhaps the most striking figure is what South Africa is no longer spending. Eskom’s diesel expenditure has fallen by more than 83% year-on-year, from R5.92 billion to R992 million, as reliance on expensive Open Cycle Gas Turbines dropped from 8.67% to just 1.10% of generation.
That is not an accounting trick – it reflects a generation fleet that simply breaks down less. Key indicators back it up:
- The Energy Availability Factor has reached its highest level since 2020.
- Approximately 6 100 megawatts of generation capacity has been returned to the grid.
- Unplanned outages have declined by nearly 40% year-on-year.
“The sharp reduction in diesel use reflects sustained improvements in fleet performance and a more reliable, efficient and resilient power system,” Ntshavheni said.
A say in cheaper power
The energy good news comes with an invitation. Cabinet has called on South Africans to make submissions on the Draft Revised Electricity Pricing Policy, which is currently open for public comment. The proposed measures aim to reduce the cost of electricity over time while protecting vulnerable households and strategic economic sectors.
For households that once planned dinner around loadshedding schedules, and for small businesses that watched generators eat their profits, the past 15 months have delivered something that once felt out of reach: a normal relationship with the light switch. With seven provinces cleared of load reduction ahead of schedule and billions saved on diesel, the foundations of that new normal look sturdier by the month.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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